Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

164 reviews

jotee76's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It wasn’t the most gripping book I have ever read, but I knew nothing about Biafra so for me the book was more of an educational tool than a pleasurable read. It is very well researched and written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

deparme's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Rape, Blood, and War

Moderate: Child death, Racism, Sexual content, Excrement, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Islamophobia, and Colonisation

matcha_pages's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

Moderate: Child death and Grief

islamaunder21's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Best book I've read all year. This was such a heart-breaking and devastating read but Adiche's skilful and captivating writing made it worth it. I really respect how well she is able to portray the moral ambiguity and complexity of each of the characters whilst still maintaining the reader's attachment and empathy:

Richard's subtle fetishisation of black women and urge to be one of the Biafran people without being fully self aware of the role of the British empire and his privilege, yet his love of Kainene and devotion to the Biafran cause, Olanna's kind nature, her relentless love for Baby, yet her betrayal of her sister, Odenigbo's admirable strong will and forward-thinking yet his lack of faithfulness to Olanna, Ugwu's thoughtfulness and genuine dedication and care for his Master's family yet his objectification of women, and Kainene's level headedness and forgiveness, and yet her mysteriousness and possible ifidelity in her relationship with Richard. 

There is so much perfectly crafted underlying commentary in this book about class, race, gender dynamics, privilege and empire and ''Half of A Yellow Sun'' deserves to go down in history as a classic- I can imagine this book being studied in schools and universities. For me this book didn't quite make it to 5 stars because I did find some elements of the book to be quite dragged out and whilst I got that this was intentional, I did find Ugwu's oversexualisation and objectification of women to be a bit overdone. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

crazytourists_books's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

During the 80s and early 90s in Greece, something that adults couldn't tolerate (adults that lived through the famine of the German occupation) was the waste of food. Kids were too often persuaded to finish their food given as example the kids of Biafra (and later Ethiopia) that were starving. A country that no longer existed, the death of children that were probably not even an afterthought in Europe, played such a vital role in our upbringing. 
This story is an important one to tell (and read about), and it should not be told by white bystanders. 
Adicie writes really well, I liked her prose, and I enjoyed her use of Igbo throughout the novel. The characters could have been better developed, though, their behaviour more realistic. 
A good book overall. It is very sad that Adicie has sided with the TERFs , I am not someone that can easily separate the art from the artist, especially when the artist is still alive. Even though this book is of a genre that I enjoy I wouldn't have read it if it wasn't given to me a few years ago. Now I can let it go, and with it, Adicie. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

bee_a_friend's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Vomit

sineaderoo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

A stunning book. 
You are lulled into false security as you get to know the three point of view characters and the world of 1960s Nigeria. And then the first coup happens, and counter coup, massacres, war and starvation. 
Beautifully written and brutal. The things people do. The ways people survive... or do not. 
The audiobook was excellent. 
Well worth your time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Rape, and War

selimhannah's review against another edition

informative inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, and Colonisation

bmpicc's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Character development galore, vivid detail, & so much history.

I was not familiar with the Biafran war. While a lot of this was heartbreaking it was also beautifully written. Honestly, several sections felt like I was reading a memoir rather than historical fiction.

“This was love: a string of coincidences that gathered significance and became miracles.”

“Grief was the celebration of love, those who could feel real grief were lucky to have loved.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, and War

Moderate: Infidelity and Colonisation

katrinadalythompson's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, and War